Conversation Piece

Conversation Piece is a 1974 drama film directed, co-written, and produced by Luchino Visconti. It stars Burt Lancaster, Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano, and Romolo Valli; with cameo appearances by Claudia Cardinale and Dominique Sanda. The film explores such themes as the collision between old and new, imminence of death, existential crises, and the sociopolitical gap between generations. The title refers to an informal group portrait, especially those painted in Britain in the 18th century, beginning in the 1720s. Plot A retired American professor lives a solitary life in a luxurious palazzo in Rome, surrounded by pieces of art and books. He barely maintains contact with people other than his long-time housekeeper Erminia, but even that contact is characterized by detachment. One day, the rich but vulgar Countess Brumonti (her husband is a right-wing industrialist who does not appear) rings his doorbell. She manages to talk the Professor into renting the empty apartment on the upper floor of the palazzo to her, her much younger lover Konrad, her teenage daughter Lietta, and Lietta's fiancé Stefano, a conservative entrepreneur. The Professor is calmly disturbed by the pushy new tenants who immediately have their apartment rebuilt, examine the Professor's apartment for clues to his past, throw parties, and have amorous experiences with each other (including Konrad with the Countess's daughter). But, in addition to the annoyance, the Professor feels animated by the young people; he is particularly drawn to the provocative, opaque Konrad. Konrad's past as a gigolo and as a leftist radical in the protests of 1968 who then slipped into drugs, is alluded to—a sharp contrast to the Professor's former completely different life that had been shaped by an upper-class upbringing and the experiences of World War II. Occasionally, the Professor sinks into memories of his former wife and mother. The Professor and Konrad have a common interest in art and become closer friends after Konrad is beaten up one night because of gambling debts and the Professor finds him and provides medical care. The Professor invites the Countess, Konrad, Lietta, and Stefano to a dinner, at which he calls them his "new family" and at the same time expresses satisfaction that they have brought liveliness to his measured life with their move-in. However, a dispute arises among his guests about Konrad's dubious past and his relationship with the Countess.